ATF: Fremantle Clocks Up Asia Sales Haul

Philippines, Thailand, Singapore channels grab international content

SINGAPORE – Fremantle Media International (FMI) has closed sales deals in Asia for over 1,600 hours of programming.

The company revealed the sales on Tuesday, the first day of the Asia TV Forum in Singapore, and said that all had been completed in the past eight weeks.

The competitive reality docu-series “The Fashion Fund,” featuring Anna Wintour, was sold to two broadcasters in Thailand: free-to-air channel Workpoint TV and pay-TV operator TrueVisions. TrueVisions also acquired the new Hulu original series “Behind the Mask,” the one-off feature documentary “I Am Steve McQueen,” and the factual special “Asteroids: Doomsday or Payday?”

Solar Entertainment in the Philippines bought series the first three series of “Winners and Losers,” becoming the first free-to-air Philippine network to broadcast an Australian drama. Solar also acquired “The Fashion Fund,” David E. Kelley medical drama “Monday Mornings” and series three of “Web Therapy,” starring Lisa Kudrow (pictured). Philippine cable channel Lifestyle Network acquired celebrity entertainment titles “Young Hollywood’s Greatest…” and “Young Hollywood’s Presents Evolution Of…,” and the high concept drama “Full Circle.”

Singapore on-demand platform Toggle.sg, backed by MediaCorp acquired a large mixed package of some 580 hours.

“The Asian marketplace is booming at the moment, it’s full of opportunities but also highly competitive so I’m thrilled to see this appetite for our portfolio,” said Haryaty Rahman, Fremantle’s VP, international distribution and home entertainment Asia.